Here is how the Buffalo Bills fared in numerous national power rankings polls heading into Week 10 following their 9-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars:
USA TODAY
8. Bills (6): Shades of 2020 with the offense so heavily reliant on QB Josh Allen, which is especially concerning for a run game that’s averaged 85.3 yards while Buffalo has gone 1-2 over its past three games. Yet also mystifying that Allen couldn’t exploit a defense like Jacksonville’s through the air.
Touchdown Wire
8. Buffalo Bills (5-3)
Last week: 7The Bills had what was likely their worst day on offense since QB Josh Allen’s breakout 2020 year. Buffalo fell 9-6 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a shocker. But there was some good: the Bills’ improved defense is here to stay.
Sporting News
8. Buffalo Bills 5-3 (7)
What was that? The Bills’ loss got most attention for Josh Allen struggling vs. the other Josh Allen. But the rest of the offense went into the tank and also failed to reward more dominance from the defense. Allen the QB needs to get out of his midseason funk, fast.
Bleacher Report
6. Buffalo Bills (5-3)
Last Week: 2
Week 9 Result: Lost at Jacksonville 9-6
Not that long ago, the Buffalo Bills were considered by many the front-runners to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LVI. Even after a Week 6 loss to Tennessee, the Bills worked their way into the No. 2 slot in these power rankings, highest of any AFC team.
After losing to what may be the NFL’s worst team, that’s no longer the case.
Facing a Jags team that ranks well outside the top 20 in both total defense and scoring defense, the Bills were able to manage just 301 yards of offense and two field goals. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen had easily his worst game of the season, throwing a pair of interceptions and losing a fumble. Buffalo just didn’t play well on either side of the ball.
Allen didn’t hold back when asked by reporters about the team’s performance after the game.
“We played like s–t and it starts with me,” Allen said. “This loss stings, but we will be better because of it.”
It may just have been an off week that the Bills will rebound from in a big way against the Jets next week. But after two losses in the last three games, Buffalo’s lead in the AFC East is down to a single game in the loss column, and with two of the next three games on the schedule against teams that made the playoffs last year, the Bills need to shake off this exceptionally bad loss quickly.
“They might still have the second-best scoring margin in the league,” Gagnon said, “but a 5-3 record following a loss to the lowly Jaguars is quite concerning. Allen has not been consistent this season, and the Bills are quite prone to duds. They’ll be in the mix, but they’re likely feeling Belichick’s breath on their necks.”
NFL.com
8. Buffalo Bills (5-3)
Josh Allen didn’t sugarcoat his evaluation of the Bills after a stunning 9-6 loss to the Jaguars. “Played like s—,” Allen said after the game. “Excuse my language, but that starts with me. So I’ve got to be better for this team.” Allen turned the ball over three times on Sunday, but it wasn’t his struggle alone: The offensive line continually failed its star QB, while play-caller Brian Daboll was unable to cook up an in-game adjustment to counter Jacksonville’s two-high safety scheme that took away Buffalo’s beloved big-play strikes. Is the book out on Daboll’s offense in the same way we’ve seen Andy Reid’s formerly unstoppable attack sputter out in Kansas City? The coming weeks will tell us a lot about this team and its Super Bowl hopes.
CBS Sports
6. Buffalo Bills (3)
The Jaguars loss should be a wake-up call for a team that hasn’t played that well in recent weeks. They need to run the ball more. Yes, I said that.
Yahoo! Sports
8. Buffalo Bills (5-3, LW: 4)
The Bills’ offensive line might be a real problem. The Jaguars couldn’t rush the quarterback before Sunday, when they suddenly were in Josh Allen’s lap on every play. If that doesn’t get fixed, the Bills aren’t getting where they want to go this season.
ESPN
8. Buffalo Bills (5-3)
Previous ranking: 6Bold second-half prediction: The Bills will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
A few weeks ago, this wouldn’t have qualified as a bold prediction. But after watching the Bills’ offense fail to get much of anything going against the Jaguars, some serious question marks about Buffalo going forward have emerged. The list of areas to correct is long, but this is still a good football team that is one of the most complete teams in a competitive AFC. The offensive line will get healthier, and there is still half a season to improve. The Bills have the potential to get hot down the stretch — three of the final four games of the season are at home — and put all of the pieces together for a run.
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